Does the spare skin ever go?

[Phteven]

I'm back down to within a few kilos of my pre-baby weight and since I've started to find more time for the gym I'm hoping to loose those last few kilos in the next few months but it seems that the more weight I lose the more I notice the extra skin I have on my tummy. Will it ever go or will I have a saggy little pouch forever.
DH says that I just need to do more abs work and it will be fine but I'm not sure he's right because I don't think it's a matter of muscle tone so much as extra skin.
I hoped that with slow weight loss that everything would shrink back to almost normal but now I'm beginning to think I was over optimistic

[Liz]

Good question Dach. I've decided not to worry about this until I've finished making babies. LOL.

I agree - no amount of muscle work is gonna shrink the skin! I'm right down and even below! my pre-pg weight, but yep - got floppy skin on my belly. Maybe there are creams that help with it? Rebuild the elastin and firm it up? Mine's like an overstretched rubber band that doesn't go back to its original shape and size LOL.

I hope someone can post a solution!

[~Raven~]

Chloe I'm now lighter than before Caleb was conceived and I've got the loose skin going on. It's got nothing to do with weight I've got to be very choosy with what I wear to avoid the dreaded muffin top...
Don't think situps will get rid of it. Though your muscles will benefit it can't tighten the loose skin.

[Trish]

Chloe, I am the same, the thinner I get the flabbier my stomach is, my stomach is like elephants skin after 4 kids.

I think we all need to wait until after we've finished having babies and book in for tummy tucks Hmm while I'm there I'm getting boobs too

[Ambah]

I have a HEAP of spare skin on my tummy, so much that it is all dimpled and wrinkly... and I imagine the more weight I lose, the worse the skin is going to look!
I sort of can't see it dissapearing on its own... and think perhaps surgery really is the only thing that would get rid of it entirely.
Though on another note I have seen many mothers wearing bikini's, that don't seem to have this spare pouch of skin... and I can't imagine they all had surgery? LOL
I think perhaps its related to how much weight was gained in pregnancy, how many pregnancy's we have had, and how big our bellies had to stretch?

[*Shell*]

I also had (have) this. After DD was born same as some of you i weighed less than i did before i got pg. My nice flat tummy now had stretch marks and a HEAP of excess skin which i couldnt get rid of, i was told to just do more ab exercise's but nothing worked. A friend of mine was a body builder at the time (this was 3 years after DD) i asked him about it and he said that no amount of toning would shrink the skin. 12 years later i do still have it. I couldnt wait to get pg this time to finally not have that flappy skin dagging off me! I dont know many people who also have this - it was nice to read that you ladies have it as well - thought it was just me!! (my SIL doesnt) I did watch a episode of RPA (or some medical show) and a lady had the same thing - she had a op to get rid of it.
Once i have finished having babies - tummy tuck for me!

[taralee]

I'll get in that line...i'm 24! i hope to finish having babies by say, 30...i think i'd still like to be considered to be tasty at that age and my saggy baggy baby belly isnt helping!

[castle]

I asked a dermatologist about this (I was seeing her for something else) & she said that it has more to do with the amount of collagen & other inherited factors, than with weight gain, no of pg, exercise....
When I stand up straight (ie, not burdened with babies, kids' backpacks, things to put in the car, washing baskets etc) I just have a couple of little wrinkles over my belly button. And BTW my belly button is NOT what it used to be either! And the skin below is just soft, not firm as it used to be. However, if I lean over it's another story!! It looks horrible.
I think a tummy tuck is the only option. The derm told me that it is actually quite a big op and has to be done by a good plastic surgeon.

[Netty]

Maybe we could all get group discount LOL

[*Shell*]

Netty - I'll be in that discount!

Castle - what belly button! Mine doesnt even look like one anymore (well, it didnt after dd was born so im guiessing it'll be the same this time!)

Taralee - to be "tasty" love it! LOL!!

[Sana]

I used to work as a nurse visiting patients in their homes. Sometimes my clients were ladies who had had tummy tuck surgery, and the wound had broken down. You have a surgical scar from one hip to the other, and you have to be really careful after surgery, so the scar doesn't split open. Lifting is definitely not an option, so no picking up kids until you have completely healed from the surgery. I'm going to stick with my extra skin and hope that midriff tops don't come back into fashion .

[~Debbie~]

this is a sad topic....
i was under the impression that exercise, diet, and general toning would fix it.....
big big boo hoo to my naive idea

[meegm]

So everyone gets it ??????????????????? regardless.............

[*Shell*]

No Meegm not everyone. Only the really unlucky ones! I think it has to do with genetics? Not too sure but my mother has it however my SIL doesnt, i also have some friends who do but some who dont, it doesnt seem to matter if you were a thinner person or bigger person before or after you had childeren, just depends on your skin type.

[meegm]

Hope so - my mum dosnt have floppy skin so hopefully i am one of the luck ones and take after her .

COME ON EMILY .....